Gene therapy holds enormous potential for a new era in human medicine. These methodologies will allow treatment for conditions that heretofore have not been addressable by standard medical practice. One area that is especially promising is the ability to genetically engineer a cell to cause that cell to express a product not previously being produced in that cell. Examples of uses of this technology include the insertion of a gene encoding a novel therapeutic protein, insertion of a coding sequence encoding a protein that is lacking in the cell or in the individual, insertion of a wild type gene in a cell containing a mutated gene sequence, and insertion of a sequence that encodes a structural nucleic acid such as a microRNA or siRNA.
Transgenes can be delivered to a cell by a variety of ways, such that the transgene becomes integrated into the cell's own genome and is maintained there. In recent years, a strategy for transgene integration has been developed that uses cleavage with site-specific nucleases for targeted insertion into a chosen genomic locus (see, e.g., co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,888,121). Nucleases specific for targeted genes can he utilized such that the transgene construct is inserted hy either homology directed repair (HDR) or by end capture during non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) driven processes. Targeted loci include “safe harbor” loci for example a CCR5 gene, a CACR4 gene, a PPPIR12C (also known as AAVS1) gene, an albumin gene or a Rosa gene. See, e.g., U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 20080299580; 20080159996; 201000218264; 20110301073; 20130177983; 20130177960 and 20150056705. Nuclease-mediated integration offers the prospect of improved transgene expression. increased safety and expressional durability, as compared to classic integration approaches that rely on random integration of the transgene, since it allows exact transgene positioning for a minimal risk of gene silencing or activation of nearby oncogenes.
Red blood cells (RBCs), or erythrocytes, are the major cellular component of blood. In fact, RBCs account for one quarter of the cells in a human. Mature RBCs lack a nucleus and many other organelles in humans, and are full of hemoglobin, a metalloprotein found in RBCs that functions to carry oxygen to the tissues as well as carry carbon dioxide out of the tissues and back to the lungs for removal. The protein makes up approximately 97% of the dry weight of RBCs and it increases the oxygen carrying ability of blood by about seventy fold. Hemoglobin is a heterotetramer comprising two α-like globin chains and two β-like globin chains and 4 heme groups. In adults the α2β2 tetramer is referred to as Hemoglobin A (HbA) or adult hemoglobin. Typically, the alpha and beta globin chains are synthesized in an approximate 1:1 ratio and this ratio seems to be critical in terms of hemoglobin and RBC stabilization. In fact, in some cases where one type of globin gene is inadequately expressed (see below), reducing expression (e.g. using a specific siRNA) of the other type of globin, restoring this 1:1 ratio, alleviates some aspects of the mutant cellular phenotype (see Voon et al (2008) Haematologica 93(8):1288). In a developing fetus, a different form of hemoglobin, fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is produced which has a higher binding affinity for oxygen than Hemoglobin A such that oxygen can be delivered to the baby's system via the mother's blood stream. Fetal hemoglobin also contains two α globin chains, but in place of the adult β-globin chains, it has two fetal γ-globin chains (i.e., fetal hemoglobin is α2γ2). At approximately 30 weeks of gestation, the synthesis of γ globin in the fetus starts to drop while the production of β globin increases. By approximately 10 months of age, the newborn's hemoglobin is nearly all α2β2 although some HbF persists into adulthood (approximately 1-3% of total hemoglobin). The regulation of the switch from production of γ to β is quite complex, and primarily involves an expressional down-regulation of γ globin with a simultaneous up-regulation of β globin expression.
Genetic defects in the sequences encoding the hemoglobin chains can be responsible for a number of diseases known as hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell anemia and thalassemias. In the majority of patients with hemoglobinopathies, the genes encoding γ globin remain present, but expression is relatively low due to normal gene repression occurring around parturition as described above.
It is estimated that 1 in 5000 people in the U.S. have sickle cell disease (SCD), mostly in people of sub-Saharan Africa descent. There appears to be a benefit of sickle cell heterozygosity for protection against malaria, so this trait may have been selected for over time, such that it is estimated that in sub-Saharan Africa, one third of the population has the sickle cell trait. Sickle cell disease is caused by a mutation in the β globin gene in which valine is substituted for glutamic acid at amino acid #6 (a GAG to GTG at the DNA level), where the resultant hemoglobin is referred to as “hemoglobin S” or “HbS.” Under lower oxygen conditions, a conformational shift in the deoxy form of HbS exposes a hydrophobic patch on the protein between the E and F helices. The hydrophobic residues of the valine at position 6 of the beta chain in hemoglobin are able to associate with the hydrophobic patch, causing HbS molecules to aggregate and form fibrous precipitates. These aggregates in turn cause the abnormality or ‘sickling’ of the RBCs, resulting in a loss of flexibility of the cells. The sickling RBCs are no longer able to squeeze into the capillary beds and can result in vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell patients. In addition, sickled RBCs are more fragile than normal RBCs, and tend towards hemolysis, eventually leading to anemia in the patient.
Treatment and management of sickle cell patients is a life-long proposition involving antibiotic treatment, pain management and transfusions during acute episodes. One approach is the use of hydroxyurea, which exerts its effects in part by increasing the production of γ globin. Long term side effects of chronic hydroxyurea therapy are still unknown, however, and treatment gives unwanted side effects and can have variable efficacy from patient to patient. Despite an increase in the efficacy of sickle cell treatments, the life expectancy of patients is still only in the mid to late 50's and the associated morbidities of the disease have a profound impact on a patient's quality of life.
Thalassemias are also diseases relating to hemoglobin and typically involve a reduced expression of globin chains. This can occur through mutations in the regulatory regions of the genes or from a mutation in a globin coding sequence that results in reduced expression. Alpha thalassemias are associated with people of Western Africa and South Asian descent, and may confer malarial resistance. Beta thalassemia is associated with people of Mediterranean descent, typically from Greece and the coastal areas of Turkey and Italy. Treatment of thalassemias usually involves blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy. Bone marrow transplants are also being used for treatment of people with severe thalassemias if an appropriate donor can be identified, but this procedure can have significant risks.
One approach for the treatment of both SCD and beta thalassemias that has been proposed is to increase the expression of γ globin with the aim to have HbF functionally replace the aberrant adult hemoglobin. As mentioned above, treatment of SCD patients with hydroxyurea is thought to be successful in part due to its effect on increasing γ globin expression. The first group of compounds discovered to affect HbF reactivation activity were cytotoxic drugs. The ability to cause de novo synthesis of gamma-globin by pharmacological manipulation was first shown using 5-azacytidine in experimental animals (DeSimone (1982) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 79(14):4428-31). Subsequent studies confirmed the ability of 5-azacytidine to increase HbF in patients with β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (Ley, et al., (1982) N. Engl. J. Medicine, 307: 1469-1475, and Ley, et al., (1983) Blood 62: 370-380). In addition, short chain fatty acids (e.g. butyrate and derivatives) have been shown in experimental systems to increase HbF (Constantoulakis et al., (1988) Blood 72(6):1961-1967). Also, there is a segment of the human population with a condition known as ‘Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin’ (HPFH) where elevated amounts of HbF persist in adulthood (10-40% in HPFH heterozygotes (see Thein et al (2009) Hum. Mol. Genet 18 (R2): R216-R223). This is a rare condition, but in the absence of any associated beta globin abnormalities, is not associated with any significant clinical manifestations, even when 100% of the individual's hemoglobin is HbF. When individuals that have a beta thalassemia also have co-incident HPFH, the expression of HbF can lessen the severity of the disease. Further, the severity of the natural course of sickle cell disease can vary significantly from patient to patient, and this variability, in part, can be traced to the fact that some individuals with milder disease express higher levels of HbF.
One approach to increase the expression of HbF involves identification of genes whose products play a role in the regulation of γ globin expression. One such gene is BCL11A, first identified because of its role in lymphocyte development. BCL11A encodes a zinc finger protein that is thought to be involved in the stage specific, regulation of γ globin expression. BCL11A is expressed in adult erythroid precursor cells and down-regulation of its expression leads to an increase in γ globin expression. In addition, it appears that the splicing of the BCL11A mRNA is developmentally regulated. In embryonic cells, it appears that the shorter BCL11A mRNA variants, known as BCL111A-S and BCL11A-XS are primary expressed, while in adult cells, the longer BCL11A-L and BCL11A-XL mRNA variants are predominantly expressed. See, Sankaran et al (2008) Science 322 p. 1839-1842. The BCL11A protein appears to interact with the β globin locus to alter its conformation and thus its expression at different developmental stages. In addition, another regulatory protein KLF1, appears to be involved in regulation of γ globin expression. It has been found that KLF1 levels are directly proportional to BCL11A levels, and both arc inversely proportional to γ globin levels. For example, in a Maltese family with persistent expression of HbF, the family carries a heterozygous mutation of the KLF1 gene (Borg et at (2010) Nat Genet, 42(9):801-805). The KLIF1 gene product appears to bind directly to the BCH11A gene in vivo, and thus may be responsible for its upregulation (see Borg et al. ibid; Bicker (2010) Nat Genet 42(9): 733-734; Zhou et at. (2010) Nat Genet 42(9):742-744). Thus, if KLF1stimulates BCL11A expression, the action of that induced BCL11A will result in the suppression of γ globin and HbF production. Use of an inhibitory RNA targeted to the BCL11A gene has been proposed (see, e.g. U.S. Patent Publication 20110182867) but this technology has several potential drawbacks, namely that complete knock down may not be achieved, delivery of such RNAs may be problematic and the RNAs must be present continuously, requiring multiple treatments for life.
Alpha thalassemias are also prevalent in the human population, especially in Asia and some type of alpha globin aberrancy is thought to be the commonest genetic disorder in humans. In the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, alpha globin disorder is found in 80-90% of the population (see Harteveld and Higgs (2010) Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 5:13).
Humans carry 2 copies of the alpha globin gene in tandem (α1 and α2) on chromosome 16, so in a normal diploid cell there are 4 copies all together. The α2 gene normally accounts for 2-3 times more α-globin mRNA than the α1 gene. The tandem organization of these two genes may be associated with the high prevalence of large deletions in alpha globin genes in alpha thalessemia patients, where generally the number of alpha globin genes that are non-functional relates directly to the severity of any alpha thalessemia (see Chui et al (2003) Blood 101(3):791). Deletion of one copy seems to be fairly common (30% of African Americans and 60-80% of people living in Saudi Arabia, India, and Thailand), and is generally not evident in the individual unless genetic testing is done. Deletion of two copies, whether on the same chromosome (cis) or one from each chromosome (trans), may cause the afflicted person to have mild anemia. When three α globin genes are deleted, such that the individual has only one functioning α globin gene, moderate anemia is found, but more importantly, the crucial α globin to β globin ratio is disrupted. β4 tetramers, comprising four beta globin chains, are often observed in patients with only one functional alpha globin gene, an condition known as HbH. The β4 tetramers are able to bind oxygen but do not release it into the periphery, causing what is known as HbH disease. Individuals with HbH disease have RBCs with shortened half-lives and which undergo hemolysis easily, leading to increased anemia. Loss of all four α globin genes is usually fatal in utero.
Thus, there remains a need for additional methods and compositions that can be used for genome editing, to correct an aberrant gene or alter the expression of others for example to treat hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia.